She made him watch for her reply, and as they rounded the nook to the final row of stalls, she might really feel his stress rising. “No.”

“No?”

“No. It wouldn’t matter to me.”

Beth heard him launch a big burst of air from his lungs. “Okay. Good.”

The 2 of them completed on the farmers’ market and headed again towards the café. Once they arrived at her automobile, Beth leaned in opposition to the metallic to face Drew. “Thanks for strolling with me.”

“No thanks wanted. I had enjoyable. It was a great way to spend a day.”

“When do it’s important to work once more?” she requested. In the event that they had been going to be buddies, she ought to in all probability get an concept of what his schedule was.

“Tomorrow. I work twenty-four-hour shifts. Someday on. Someday off. After three days on, we get 4 days off. It’s a nine-day rotation.” When he noticed her confused look, he shrugged. “I do know it’s somewhat complicated at first.”

“That’s okay. I feel I get it.”

They stood in silence for a number of moments.

“Any plans for tonight?” Beth had no concept why she was asking.

Drew shrugged. “Not likely. I’ll in all probability watch somewhat TV and switch in early.”

It sounded loads just like the night Beth had deliberate for herself. “Effectively, I’ll allow you to get on with it, then.”

She moved to get into her automobile, however he stopped her. “Beth?”

“Sure?”

“Does this new buddies factor embrace us exchanging cellphone numbers?”

Beth considered it for a second. Though giving him her cellphone quantity gave her pause, she wasn’t as nervous about it as one may assume. Katrina was actually good at screening candidates for the membership. She’d even discovered Ben’s marriage certificates once they’d utilized for membership. The issue was Ben was good at lies and procuring faux paperwork. When the topic got here up, he was capable of produce a really legal-looking certificates of annulment dated a couple of month after the wedding. Sadly, neither Beth nor Katrina had thought to query it. They’d each discovered a really laborious lesson.

No, nerves had nothing to do with Beth considering Drew’s request. Even with out the background verify Katrina would have finished on him, she knew he was a firefighter. She knew the place he labored, and even when he hadn’t advised her, with Nicole’s assist she would be capable to discover out. What was holding her again was the thought that it might be yet one more factor linking them collectively—yet one more step into opening herself as much as trusting a person once more.

“You don’t should should you’re not comfy,” Drew stated.

“It’s not that. Okay, it’s that. A bit of. However you’re proper. Mates do usually change cellphone numbers.”

Earlier than she might second-guess herself, Beth took out one in all her enterprise playing cards and a pen. Flipping it over, she scribbled each her residence and cell numbers onto the cardboard and handed it to him.

He seemed it over, after which tucked it into his pockets. “Do you may have one other a kind of? I don’t have something with me to put in writing on.”

Beth gave him one other one in all her playing cards, and he rapidly jotted down his numbers. “The cell quantity is often higher. So long as I’m not out on a name, I’ll reply.”

She took the cardboard and slipped it into her pocket. “Thanks.”

“I ought to allow you to go. Thanks once more for this afternoon. I had enjoyable.”

He waved, and she or he waved again earlier than moving into her automobile. Each time she noticed Drew, she obtained in deeper. How lengthy would this ‘simply buddies’ factor maintain?

She didn’t know the reply to that. However for the primary time since Ben exited her life, she was starting to not care. Drew wasn’t something like her ex, which was good. The very last thing she wanted was one other faux submissive who performed together with her and her feelings. She wished actual, and for all of Drew’s cockiness and his inexperience with being a sub, he was actual.

Driving residence, Beth tried to not let the probabilities weigh too closely on her thoughts. She would let this factor with Drew play out. Hopefully, if he turned out to be one other Ben, she’d discover out earlier than it price her one other damaged coronary heart.

***

Chapter 7

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